@Aaron_Hachmeister_13 you could just drive better than the other guy, and then you wouldn’t need to do what Lewis did or what Max does, no? If Max got a better start, Oscar wouldn’t have been in position to pass him. If Max was truly the faster car/driver pairing on the day, then he should have been able to undercut Oscar or pass him on track after extending to get tire delta. Max didn’t deserve to win today and I don’t respect what he did. I don’t think it’s a virtue to bend the rules when you get beat.
You can say “that’s racing” or “that’s what champions do” and you may be right, but that doesn’t mean we should praise Max for doing these things or not criticize him for doing these things.
Do you praise Embiid and Harden for flopping and baiting fouls in the NBA? Does that make them better players because they do whatever it takes to win?
This reminds me of a similar discussion I heard about crashing and rules in the 80s and 90s and my favourite quote from that was “I assure you if you interviewed the drivers inmediately after a crash, any side would tell you I would have crashed him before if it was up to me”
Bending the rules is the nature of formula 1 whether it’s car design or driving. fia and stewards just cannot enforce it’s own rules very well.
The race to the apex thing has been a newer topic since stewards interpreted rules of engagement with drivers. Last season, Max drive off Lando at Austin and completely missed the exit himself. Max got to keep his lead and won. Like others have said, Max is going to force stewards to enforce driving standards.
If Max got a better start, Oscar could have gotten a better start, too, and we would be right back in the same scenario. We can go do whataboutism all day but at the end of it you make your decisions based on the scenario you’re in, however you got there.
I don’t need to praise or criticize Max or anyone else for using the rules to their advantage, but I can respect it. If I have any issues with the actions or decisions the drivers make, that’s an issue I have with the stewards, not the drivers themselves. They know what they’re doing, they’re trying to win, and if we want them to do it fairly then the officiating group is accountable for making sure the drivers do things the way we want.
That depends on how you perceive racing. Max has always struck me as a dirty driver. Dirty in the way that winning is all that matters and that he will ram anyone out of his way and then act like it’s the other guys fault. He’s a great talent but comes off as someone who feels his talent entitles him to have clear track. I could be wrong but the karting stuff I’ve seen basically involves him snowplowing guys. But I can relate somewhat, ain’t got no time for slow. But it’s not likable. But it’s a job for him, unlike for me.
There’s a whole meme series about how Russell hits people and comes out with “he turned in on me”. I don’t recall Hamilton being forgiving really, since the age of 8. He used to get offended by the notion someone would even think they could take him on the outside. You don’t get this point of view without a decent level of aggression as a driver. Max pushes a tad more than most, but fundamentally he isn’t all that different to other drivers. He is at the front more than anyone, and when the car isn’t quite there, he’s still at the front. So as ever it’s a bias. When Hamilton was driving at this level it was pretty much the same stuff being said about him.
I think this is an impossible job. It’s a bit like drop down bumpers. Starts were atrocious, it somewhat solved them, but created a whole new area of problems.
You can’t legislate on-track racing without causing issues. Once you remove grass and gravel, you remove self-preservation and self-regulation. So now we get a situation where we have all these rules about who is ‘ahead at apex’, which is fine, but then you are incentivized to roll off brakes and ‘pretend’ to be pushed off and around and around and around we go.
I see incidents at the weekend pretty much as both drivers did the right thing. Piastri did what any traditional race would do and push the apex and close the room on exit, and Max did the ‘let stewards decide, and I’ll see if I can create a gap anyway’.
The only solution is self-regulation. If we don’t get that, then it will always be absurd, which secretely I don’t think Liberty really mind. It generates discussion.
I’d like to see more gravel traps, but with that I’d also like to see quick on the spot safety teams that can pull you out possibility without going a lap down, ala Indycar. Self penalized but not out completely.
So this weekend we have the incredibly cringeworthy Miami GP with all of it’s lame props and glitz. Couple that with a boring track and it doesn’t add up to much imho. I also just read that a new contract has been signed to run this race at least until 2041!!!
How the heck they can justify this when a track like Spa is going to be reduced to every other year is beyond me
Anyway lets hope we get some decent racing, It’s a sprint weekend which I wasn’t in favor of to start with but they have grown on me.
It’s alllllll down to money. I don’t mind the Miami track so much; it does produce some good battling in spots. The generic street circuits do wear on me though… I want scenery and what’s beautiful about Spa or Monza is it feels like you are careening through the woods and natural topography. Much more beautiful and inspiring than a bunch of concrete lined with sponsor banners.
Can Daddy Max find something to beat the McLarens? Is Oscar truly that far clear as seen in FP? Williams looks spicy too.
Lando doesn’t know how to fight Max, still. He tried around the outside multiple times and gets shoved wide every time. Oscar set it up better, crossed him over multiple times and forced him to commit to deep on the brakes. Much more tactically proficient. Lando is fast but his lack of confidence wheel to wheel is costing him this championship.
Max tail whipped him but you have to expect this at this point. And trying to out-aggro him doesn’t work. You have to be smarter.
Oscar is just great in races.
Hamilton’s radio was awesome this race. So many sarcastic comments dumping on Ferrari’s strategy which they probably need. But even with his complaining to swap the cars he proved he wasn’t quick enough to take Antonelli. Charles gapped him pretty easily and even Sainz got up to Lewis.
Agreed. Ferrari’s indecision was embarrassing, even if Lewis’ lack of pace proved that the swaps might have been unnecessary. It’s actually depressing that strategic incompetence has been normalized in such a high performance team.
It’s amazing to me how drivers let Max push them around like this. Lando looked very timid next to him despite their front axles being lined up and being in a fighting position. I wonder what Max response would be (other than complaining) if people didn’t jump out of the way and let damage occur.
Watched the race today and thought it was entertaining enough, but on the whole I find the sport really lacking. I’d like the whole format changed a bit. DRS is super gimmicky to me. I don’t like that you can buy a 4 door sedan or even an SUV with more power than these “pinnacle of racing machines” make.
I’d like to see 1500-2000hp and a wet weight of 1200lbs with cable throttles and minimal driver assists. Not a fan of power steering, ABS, traction control, etc. Formula 1 is not tip of the spear in terms of what driving ability is anymore though I do have massive massive respect for all of them.
I’d love to see teams be allowed to use any engine / configuration they want. Any downforce allowed. No minimum weight. Bring back the innovation and wildness of the Can-Am days but in open wheel. Haven’t watched for a long time now but did tune in today and thought the layout of the track was cool.
I also find the drivers to be a bit feminine compared to how they were in the 80s and 90s. Masculinity is not really present to the level that I like in sport.
